Christmas has once again rushed in and out like the ocean's wave... I look back on the day with a smile, knowing how truly blessed I am and how blessed we are as a family. I try to see things through the eyes of my children. It wasn't as easy this year, for some reason. I have been selfish lately, ignoring so many of the beautiful blessings in my life and feeling an ache that I know I should not be feeling. So where did that ignorance bring me? To an ugly place that I do not wish to revisit any time soon. I was looking through lost and lonely eyes, when in fact, I am surrounded by love. Even when it is shown so softly that it is barely visible, it is there. In a smile. In a thought. In the warm glow of a candle. In the soft music playing in the next room. In the light of each of my daughters' eyes and in the chimes of laughter as they open the next treasure... In the touch of a hand that truly expresses kindness and openness. In the smile of a friend.

Beauty. Life without it is simply not an option. There should always be colorful lights glittering within your heart. If there isn't, you aren't looking deep enough.

Mostly I am writing this for myself. When I feel that the light inside me has dimmed, I will come back to this and try to feel and see the beauty in my life as I should. Perhaps that will be my New Year's resolution for 2007. To never let go of the beauty which surroundsme. To never turn my back on a setting sun and to always pause to smell the flowers... or, more appropriately for now, the newly fallen snow.

Yes, Michelle.. I think I lost sight of it too, this year. School totally claimed me, and now I'm worn out at a time I should be enjoying my time off. I was thinking, you know, Bea, you didn't think much about Jesus' birth this year. I didn't pray much, I didn't have hardly any quiet time to be still and allow God some room in my life, when He's always made room for me in His. It's time I shut down and turn off and be still for some time, to find my Source, my Light. So I can see the Beauty all around me once more. Bea